Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine the action he proposes to take under section 41 of the Roads Act, 1993 or otherwise, to provide a more effective policy on the provision of lay-bys and set down areas on motorways and major inter-urban routes. [17916/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) and local authorities to identify and pursue the provision of service and rest areas on the national road network. It is not my intention to invoke the provisions of Section 41 of the Roads Act, 1993 in connection with the provision of rest and service areas.

I understand that, in light of the significant developments and improvements to the national road network over the last few years, my predecessor as Minister for Transport asked the NRA to examine their policies in regard to the provision of service and rest areas. This resulted in the NRA issuing a revised policy statement concerning service and rest areas in July 2006. The NRA now intend to provide service areas at intervals of approximately 50/60 km and rest areas at intervals of approximately 25/30 km on motorways and high quality dual carriageways. Furthermore, I understand that the NRA has identified optimum locations for up to 12 service areas and 11 rest areas on the major interurban routes as well as the N6/N18 and N11 routes.

The Roads Bill 2007, currently being progressed through the Oireachtas, contains legislative amendments to the Roads Act 1993 which will facilitate the NRA in their task of rolling out their service area and rest area strategy.